U.S. strike on suspected drug boat kills two

U.S. forces on Sunday conducted a military strike on a boat in the Caribbean operated by designated terrorist organizations, according to U.S. Southern Command. The blast killed two male narco-terrorists and left six alive, the military said. U.S. Southern Command asked the U.S. Coast Guard to perform search and rescue for the survivors, it said, but it was unclear whether the men were found. No U.S. military forces were harmed during the operation, according to investigators.

U.S. intelligence sources confirmed prior to the strike that the vessel’s crew was engaged in drug trafficking and that they were traveling on known trafficking routes in the Caribbean, according to U.S. Southern Command. More than 40 such strikes have occurred since the Trump administration launched a campaign against cartel vessels in September 2025.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on a U.S. strike against a drug boat loading dock.